Ronald Giphart

While at university studying Dutch literature, Ronald Giphart (b. 1965) worked as a night porter in a hospital, a job leaving him enough time to write his first novel, Ik ook van jou (I Do Too, 1992). It won him the Golden Dog-Ear Award for the best-sold debut. He went on to publish the novels Giph (1993), Feest der liefde (The Feast of Love, 1995), Phileine zegt sorry (Phileine Says Sorry, 1996), De Voorzitter (The Soccer President, 1999), Ik omhels je met duizend armen (I Embrace You with a Thousand Arms, 2000) and Troost (Consolation, 2005). Three of his novels have been made into a film. With sales figures averaging 150,000 copies per title, Giphart is one of the most successful writers in the Netherlands today.